13 Facts About Seeco Patterson

Seeco Patterson took Alvin Patterson as a stage name, and acquired the nickname "Seeco" as a bastardisation of his birth name Francisco.

Seeco Patterson was referred to at times as "Pep", a nickname he had earned at school.

In 1957, Seeco Patterson attempted to emigrate to the United States in search of better work.

Seeco Patterson encouraged Marley as he began to experiment with singing, as Seeco Patterson himself had gained experience in the musical realm playing percussion with famed calypso artist Lord Flea, and with other mento-calypso combos.

In 1966 while Marley was working in the United States, Seeco Patterson was injured in a mine accident, when the gas line running under the canteen floor ruptured, causing an explosion that left a number of miners seriously injured.

Seeco Patterson was thrown from the room and lost his shoes in the process.

When Marley returned to the island some weeks later, he convinced Seeco Patterson to give up mining, and to begin working in music more regularly.

Seeco Patterson's first known contribution was on the June 1967 session which produced "Lyrical Satyrical I" and "This Train", and was released on the Wailers' own Wail N Soul M label.

When Marley's association with Tosh and Livingston ended that year Seeco Patterson became a core member of the newly formed Wailers band under Marley's direction, and contributed to every recording and live performance that Marley would make for the rest of his career.

In December 1976, Seeco Patterson was rehearsing with Marley at 56 Hope Road when gunmen opened fire on the group, injuring Marley, wife Rita, and manager Don Taylor.

In September 1980, Seeco Patterson was with Marley when he collapsed jogging in Central Park, and remained with Marley through his cancer treatment both in New York and then at the clinic of Dr Josef Issels in Rottach-Egern, Germany.

In 1990, Seeco Patterson suffered a near-fatal brain haemorrhage, leading to his partial retirement from the music scene.

Seeco Patterson died on 1 November 2021 at the age of 90, at University Hospital in Kingston.